System



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. P. BENJAMIN.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Patented Oct. 27

1- Norm! warms 00., mum-mm, WASNWGTON w c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK P. BENJAMIN, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,809, dated October27, 1891,

Application filed February 9, 1889. Serial No- 299,307. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK P. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems, of which thefollowing is a description of the forms in which I prefer to embody mysaid invention, said description being in such full, clear, and exactterms as will enable any one skilled in the art to which myinventionappertains to practice the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, makinga part of the specification,

and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my present invention is to enable a car in motion or atrest to signal other trains on the same track.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of atrack with the signaling-lines laid thereon. Fig. 2 illustrates avertical section through the moving vehicle and the track, showing thedevices for signaling and for receiving signals. Fig. 3 is across-section of one of the signaling or receiving coils carried on themoving vehicle. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the same. Fig.5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Figs. 6, 7, and 8illustrate the application of my invention to a system operated by theprinciple of static induction, in which Fig. 6 illustrates a plan Viewof the track; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section through the moving vehicleon the line 7 7, Fig. 8; and Fig. 8 a vertical section through'saidvehicle on line 8 8.

The following is a description of the accompanying drawings, wherein areillustrated two of the forms in which my invention may be employed.

In the concluding claims I will indicate, specifically, the novelfeatures of the invention and the features which are covered by theseLetters Patent.

Referring to Fig. 1, O O are rails or tracks. A A A" is a closedcircuitlaid along the track, consisting, essentially, of two parts,one-the part Afor receiving the signaling energy and another--A and A'for inducing a current into the receiving coil or coils. This circuitis shown in full lines and as a complete metallic circuit, although thecircuit inight be made complete by grounding the wires. a a a is anothercircuit of similar character, (shown in dotted lines,) but not complete.

Referring to Fig. 2, I I is the platform of one or more moving vehicles,carrying the coils P, Q, and R. Each of these coils consists of a numberof wires wound round and round. (Shown in cross-section at Fig. 3 and inlongitudinal section at Fig. 4.) The construction of theseinduction-coils is now so well known that afurther description thereofis deemed unnecessary. Q is the coil by means of which the signals aretransmittedto the line. It is provided with a battery J and amakeand-break or other suitable device for causing an intermittent orvibratory current to traverse the coil. P and R are signal-receivingcoils, and are provided each with a device S for receiving the signalsor for indicating when the current is caused to traverse the coils. Whenthese coils are placed near enough together on the moving train toatfeet each other injuriously by induction, it is desirable to employsome means for counteracting said effects. I have shown the coilsinclined, as in Fig. 5, with the wire T T wrapped round them in oppositedirections for this purpose, this being one of the known means foraccomplishing the object sought. Thus, assuming that portion of the coilQ which is nearest to the coil P induces a current in the coil P whichit is desired to neutralize, a strand T T of the wire on the coil Q maybe so wound on the coil P as to carry a current around the same in theopposite direction to that in which said induced current is flowing andmay 3' ust equal the strength of the induced current, therebyeffectually neutralizing the same. The coils P and R are parallel to theconductors on the sides of the track, and the coil Q is parallel to theconductor in the center of the track.

The operation of the device above described is as follows: Let the trainstand over the section marked A, Fig. 1. The intermittent or vibratorycurrent traversing the coil Q will induce in the circuit A A A a similarcurrent. This current will signal any other vehicle on the same localcircuit through either ico the coil P or B, into which by induction thecurrent flowing over the line is introduced, and by means of the deviceS for receiving such signals. lVhen the local circuits are arranged onboth sides of the track, as shown in Fig. 1, intelligence will becommunicated as to whether the train is behind or before thesignaling-vehicle. As this is particularly pointed out'in my applicationbearing Serial No. 363,717, patented March 12, 1889, No. 399,474, afurther description of this operation is deemed unnecessary here.

Instead of carrying two coils for receiving signals on the train, onecoil only may be employed, in which case the form of the local circuitwould be correspondingly modified. For example, assuming that the trainwas proceeding from the bottom toward the top of the drawings, Fig. 1,and had a receivingcoil on the left side, but none on the right, theextension A might be omitted, or if it had a receiving-coil on the rightside, but none on the left, the extension A might be omitted. lVhenthere are a plurality of local circuits employed and they are lapped, toinsure a signal always being set behind or ahead or both behind andahead, the train induction from one to the other may be neutralized bybringing the circuits close together, as at X, Fig. l, for a suitabledistance, when the currents flow in opposite directions. The system maybe extended indefinitely.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7, and 8, which illustrate the application of myinvention to a line worked by static inducti0n,A illustrates the localcircuit connected to the earth at one end only. Instead of the signalingand receivin g coils heretofore described, plates D, E, and F areemployed, which are also connected to the earth at one end through thespring G G, car-axles II H, and rails C O. The op eration of this planis substantially like that above described, except that static inductionis relied upon, according to principles well known in the arts, toconvey the necessary intelligence from car to car.

In my above mentioned application (to which reference is here made) Ihave claimed a certain system of railroad-signaling, and I have alsoclaimed the form and also the relation of the local circuit here shown.The most characteristic difference between the system claimed in saidapplication and that which it is desired to cover in this is that therethe signaling energy is external to the moving vehicle and is introducedinto the line by make-and-break devices, while here the source of thesignaling energy is carried on the train and is introduced into the lineby induction without the aid of such make-andbreak devices.

Of course the position of the circuit on the track and the signaling andreceiving coils may be varied, and it will be understood that myinvention is not limited to the precise devices and combinations ofdevices shown, as

many modifications may obviously be made without departing from eitherthe spirit or scope of my present invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a system of railroad-signals in which communication betweenvehicles is established by means of the inductive effects of a currentof electricity, the combination of a plurality of separate andindependent local circuits arranged on both sides of the track, avehicle carrying a plurality of conductors re spectively parallel to andin inductive relation to dilferent portions of said local circuit, andalso carrying a signaling-circuit connected with a suitable source ofelectric energy, parallel to a separate portion of said local circuit,substantially as described.

2. In a system of railroad-signals in which communication betweenvehicles is established by means of the inductive elfects of a currentof electricity, the combination of a vehicle having a plurality ofconductors, each including instruments for receiving signals and alsoincluding a signaling-conductor connected with a suitable source ofelectric energy, and a plurality of local circuits arranged on bothsides of said track, parallel to and in inductive relation to saidvehicleconductors, respectively, substantially as described.

3. In a system of railroad-signals in which communication betweenvehicles is established by means of the inductive eifects of a currentof electricity, the combination of a vehicle carrying a conductor withinstruments for receiving signals and also carrying asignaling-conductor connected with a suitable source of electric energy,a local circuit arranged along the line, one part of which is parallelto andin inductive relation to said vehicle-conductor carryingreceivinginstruments and another part of which is in inductive relationto said signaling-conductor, substantially as described.

4. In a system of railroad-signals in which communication betweenvehicles is established by means of the inductive effects of a currentof electricity, the combination of a vehicle carrying a conductor withsignalinginstruments and also carrying a signalingconductor connectedwith a suitable source of electric energy, a plurality of separate andindependent local circuits arranged along the line, different portionsof which are in inductive relation to said conductors, respectively,said local circuits being overlapped, substantially as described.

5. In a system of railroad-signals in which communication betweenvehicles is established by means of the inductive eifects of a currentof electricity, the combination of a vehicle having a conductor withinstruments for receiving signals and also having a signaling-conductorconnected with a suitable source of electric energy, a plurality oflocal circuits arranged along the line, parts of n'ected with a suitablesource of electric cm which are parallel to and in inductive relaergyand also carrying a conductor provided tion to said signal-receivingconductor and with instruments for receiving signals, a cir- I 5 otherparts of which are in inductive relation cuit laid along the track, onepart of which 5 to said signaling-conductor, said local ciris ininductive relation to said signal-receivcuits being overlapped,substantially as deing conductor and another part of which is scribed.in inductive relation to said signaling-con- 6. In a system ofrailroad-signals in which 1 ductor, substantially as described.

communication between vehicles is estab- FRANK P. BENJAMIN.

1o lished by means of the inductive effects of a Witnessesz.

current of electricity, the combination of a J. EDGAR BULL, Vehiclecarrying a signaling-conductor coni CHAS. O. BULL.

